Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an output apparatus such as a printer or a copying machine, etc. equipped with an external toner supplying device.
Description of the Related Art
Generally, a toner supplying device, i.e. a toner storage device is designed and used in a cartridge system allowing exchange and installment for a laser printer and a copying machine. Such a toner cartridge for a laser printer and a copying machine is installed inside machines, and internal space of the toner cartridge is designed small due to spatial constraints. Thus, it has caused a user of these laser printers and copying machines to often exchange toner cartridges inconveniently. In addition, their users had to pay a charge for the manufacturer's intellectual property right when exchanging a toner cartridge because the printer manufacture manufactures a toner cartridge with its own technology which is protected as intellectual property.
In order to solve such inconvenience and save the high expenses for maintenance, it has been suggested by recent technology that an uninterrupted toner supply device be installed outside a laser printer and a copying machine in such a way that toner is supplied by the external uninterrupted toner supply device as the toner is consumed.
An output apparatus using toner consists of complex components operating in reciprocal actions for efficient printing and the components can be categorized into semi-permanent goods and consumable goods. Consumable goods should be replaced in case they run down. Thus, such a characteristic has been considered in design for manufacturing a printer.
A toner cartridge as a toner storage device has been designed as a consumable component by the manufacturers of a laser printer and a copying machine. Some manufacturers have designed and produced their products in such a way that a mag roller or a developing roller is integrated with a toner cartridge, or even OPC drum is integrated. Thus, such components integrated with the toner cartridge are also replaced during toner cartridge replacement.
The system removed the inconvenience that consumable components should be replaced respectively according to their different lifespans.
However, the lifespan of major components such as an OPC drum or a roller has extended as semi-permanent with development of technology, and the method of replacing major components at once is not efficient any more.